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Building the roundhouse

The image gallery below has step-by-step photos showing how experts built a roundhouse in the former Museum of Liverpool Life's courtyard. You can also view a time lapse film showing the roundhouse reconstruction from start to finish.

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20 June 2005: The building site with the flagstones removed in readiness. The bags of soil were from the wartime garden which had previously been in the courtyard. 20 June 2005: Willow branches used in the wallplates. The wattle weaving went round very sturdy main wall posts. These posts were firmly planted a metre into the ground.23 June 2005: The circular wall taking shape. There are pegs inserted into all the wall stakes ready for the wall plates to be slotted onto them.27 June 2005: Joanne and Philippa applying daub onto the wattle frame.28 June 2005: The finished wall complete with daub. This photo was taken from the same position as our time-lapse camera, giving a birds eye view of the house!30 June 2005: The three primary rafters, which had been lashed together with sisal string to form a tripod, were manoeuvred into position.1 July 2005: Tara starting to attach the purlins (willow branches) to the rafters.8 July 2005: Attaching the last few purlins.11 July 2005: Levelling the floor inside the house.11 July 2005: Work continues along the lower section of the roof, with the first of the thatch being added.13 July 2005: The thatched roof going up.14 July 2005: The roundhouse, nearly complete.

Time lapse film

 

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